Before you hit the trail: how to plan a hike that goes right

A great day outside often comes down to how well you plan it. That means not only finding the right trail, but figuring out what that trail is actually like right now. What is the weather going to be like? How busy is it going to be? Am I prepared for this combination of distance, elevation and difficulty?

Here are a few suggestions to help plan your next day out.

Choose a trail that fits

It might sound obvious, but picking a route that matches your current fitness level and experience is one of the first things you should think about. There are tens of thousands of options on AllTrails, but you’ll need to narrow down your options to the ones that make sense for you. 

• Have you done this much elevation gain or descent or distance in a day before?
• Are you comfortable with the type of terrain? Rocks, scree, exposure, or snow/mud depending on the weather and time of year.
• Have you hiked in this kind of environment before? Heat, humidity and altitude all take time to adjust to.

The most useful question isn’t «am I fit?» It’s «what’s the biggest hike I’ve done in the last few months, and how did I feel afterward?” Think about the day you’re planning compared to what you’ve done recently.

1. About the same – At similar distance and elevation on similar terrain, you already have a pretty good idea of how the day will go. It means you have a good baseline, and you know what to expect.
2. A step up – You’re looking at something ~50% longer, or with more climbing, on terrain you’ve hiked before. That’s a reasonable stretch. You won’t know for certain what it’ll take until you’re out there, and that’s ok. This is how you improve and get more confident. But, take the step up into account as you plan, and check in with yourself throughout the day.
3. A big jump – Something double your recent efforts, or traveling through terrain you’ve never done (maybe your first scramble, your first time above the treeline, or your first long day at higher altitude, or using specialized equipment for the first time). Consider whether there’s a better trail you might find somewhere in between. Not because you couldn’t manage a more challenging one, but because a hike where you’re near your limit in new, unfamiliar conditions is rarely fun. Work your way up so you’re confident when you’re tackling the hard stuff. 

Look at the terrain and the conditions, not just the numbers. A long hike on a well groomed trail and an exposed, technical hike on a hot (or cold, or wet) day are very different, and being comfortable on one doesn’t mean you’ll be comfortable on the other. The same goes for higher altitudes, where altitude sickness becomes a real risk if you haven’t acclimatized.

If you’re going with a group, get an honest sense of the fitness across the group, then:

• Plan around whoever is least prepared, and let that person set the turnaround time.
• Start as a group, hike as a group, end as a group. Put the slowest hiker near the front.
• Don’t hurry anyone. Pressure to keep up with a faster group is one of the ways people get hurt.

How to read a trail page

Distance and elevation are the two numbers most people look at the most. But to really understand a hike you need the elevation profile, combined with a whole bunch of other information. A route with 3,000 ft of climbing spread across 8 miles is a different day than one with the same climb squeezed into 2 miles. Does the climb come early, when you’re fresh, or at the end, when you’re already tired?

Difficulty ratings on trail pages are guidelines. Ours are based on distance, elevation gain, the elevation profile and a few other data points. But what «hard» means can shift with fitness, experience, weather, altitude and even how you slept last night. In addition to the rating on the trail page, also scope the community ratings – much like t-shirt sizing, every AllTrails review has the chance to leave their own take on the trail difficulty.

Treat the rating as one data point among many, and don’t fall into the trap of «I’ve done a “hard” hike before, so any hike labeled hard is fine.» That logic can result in people underestimating terrain they don’t actually have much experience in.

Check what the trail is like right now

Maps and elevation profiles are easy to find, but on-trail conditions change daily. Mountains get freak summer snowstorms, trails wash out, rockfall closes sections, and reroutes happen. One of the benefits of AllTrails is that our community (over 100M people), is adding thousands of reviews, reports, and photos every day with the most up-to-date information you’re likely to find anywhere.

• Read recent reviews. A detailed report from three days ago beats a five star «it was great!» from three years ago, every time.
• Check for alerts. Land managers post them directly on AllTrails trail pages when something has changed; we currently work with over 900 local managers.
• You can always ask a ranger. They’ll know about any closures or conditions that haven’t made it online yet.

Check the weather

A hike can pass through several climates and a couple of thousand feet of elevation in an afternoon. Check the forecast for the elevation you’ll be at and along the trail, not the town where you’re staying or the trailhead. In a lot of mountain ranges, afternoon thunderstorms are routine in summer.

Then check the sunset time. Between the forecast and the daylight, you’ll usually find the answer is to start early and give yourself room to finish in daylight. Nobody likes getting caught out in the dark and the cold.

Set a turnaround time

Work out how long the hike will take. Any time you see online is just that, an estimate. It probably assumes a steady pace, no photo stops, no wrong turns, and no time for lunch. A rule of thumb that holds up reasonably well: two miles an hour, plus half an hour for every 1,000 ft of climbing. Add time for breaks, adjust for your fitness and your group’s, and sanity check it against recent reviews and tracked activities from people who seem similar to you (or, as discussed above, similar hikes you’ve done recently).

Pick a time you want to be back at the start. Then pick a time on the way out where you’ll turn around if you’re not at the top, and don’t push it back once you’re out there.

Make these decisions at home, while you’re not tired and haven’t invested anything yet. People make worse turn-back decisions once they’ve put three hours into a climb.

Turning around isn’t failure. It’s a normal part of being outdoors, whether the reason is weather, time or how your legs feel. The summits aren’t going anywhere.

Tell someone your plan

Before you leave, let someone know your plan. Include things like:

• Your route, and the trailhead you’re starting from
• Who’s with you
• Roughly when you expect to be back
• The point at which they should start making calls

Be as specific as you can. «Afternoon» isn’t a plan; «if I haven’t texted by 7pm, call the ranger station» is.

Pack for the conditions (10 essentials)

A lot of people tend to skimp on this one, but even on a short hike on terrain you’re comfortable with, an injury, bad weather or a wrong turn can turn serious.

The standard starting point is the ten essentials, which The Mountaineers first put together in the 1930s. Think of them as categories rather than a packing list:

• Navigation – A map you can use without a phone signal, and ideally without a phone. Apps are great, but phones can die, especially in colder weather.
• Light – Think about a headlamp (with extra batteries). Your phone flashlight will eat into your battery time.
• Sun protection – Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Keep in mind that UV intensity is greater at altitude and conditions like snow can make the sun worse.
• First aid – A basic kit, plus anything specific to you or anyone in your group. 
• Knife or tools
• Fire – A lighter or stormproof matches
• Shelter – An emergency bivy or a foil blanket. Both are small enough that there’s not much reason to leave them behind.
• Extra food
• Extra water – Roughly half a liter per hour of hiking, more in hot temperatures or at higher altitude. Check whether there’s any water on the route, so you know if there are opportunities to refill.
• Extra clothing

REI has a great guide that covers what goes in each one and how your list might change by season and activity.

Make sure you have your navigation sorted

It’s mentioned as part of the 10 essentials, but it’s saying again. If you’re using a digital map like AllTrails or another app, make sure you have the offline map downloaded while you still have connection.

Not only will that mean you have access to the map when service is unreliable, but you can also save battery life by putting your phone into airplane mode (your GPS will still work). Because technology can (and does) die, it’s always a good idea to have a battery pack and physical map as a backup (and know how to read it).

Remember

No app, including AllTrails, can replace good preparation beforehand and good judgement out on the trails. But the suggestions above will give you a better foundation, and the more hikes you plan this way, the further you’ll be able to go.